Racking mechanism for use in dipping sheets and the like



Dec. 27, 1938.- TH MA 2,141,887

BACKING MECHANISM FOR USE IN DIPPING SHEETS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 18, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l F/sj.

W S I F760 720705 (LI -z, G il/iv? Dec. 27, 1938. F. THOMAS I 2,141,887

RACKING MECHANISM FOR USE IN DIPPING SHEETS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 18, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 27, 1938, F. THOMAS 2,141,887

RACKING MECHANISM FOR USE IN DIPPING SHEETS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 18, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 WAS/aw.

Patented Dec. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT creme BACKING MECHANISM FOR USE IN DIPPIN G SHEETS AND THE LKKE Application January 18, 1937, Serial No. 121,239

4 Claims.

The objects of the present invention are to provide for coating the opposite marginal portions of cards, sheets and the like for substantially the same distance from the opposite edges thereof, to provide means for conveniently and accurately racking the cards, sheets or the like in position for accomplishing the object stated, to provide means whereby the object last mentioned can be accomplished with cards, sheets or the like of different dimensions and by means of which the depth to which the cards, sheets or the like are coated can be changed, to provide means whereby the cards can be properly racked and the racks then transferred to a dipping machine adapted to dip the cards to a predetermined depth, and to provide in the case of comparatively fiimsy cards, sheets or the like to keep them separated more especially after they have I been dipped, or in other words, to impart a measure of rigidity to the cards, sheets or the like. Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description at the end of which the invention will be claimed.

Generally stated the invention comprises stands disposed in a common plane, arack provided with supports disposed in a common plane and including separate bars and clamping means therefor, a table arranged parallel with said planes and adapted when the rack is supported on the stands to be in position from the aXes of the supports at a distance equal to one-half the distance between the edges of the sheets to be dipped, or at any other distance.

The invention also comprises the improvements to be presently described and finally claimed.

In the following description reference will be made to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and in which Figure l is a side View partly in section and with parts broken away of a machine embodying features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an end View of the same with parts broken away.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the rack shown in the other figure.

Fig. 4 is a top or plan view of Fig. 1 with parts removed.

Figs. 5 and 6 are an elevation and a plan view illustrating a modification.

Fig. '7 is a plan view of a modified form of rack.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the modification shown in Fig. '7.

Figs. 9 and 10 are a plan and an end view with parts broken away illustrating a modification,

Fig. 11 is an enlarged view of a detail of one of the parts shown in Figs. 9 and 10, and

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic view hereinafter referred to.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 4, I is a rectangular frame bounding an opening and it is provided with upright stands 2, of which four are shown arranged at substantially the corners of the frame. The operative portions or jaws 3 of these stands are arranged in a common level plane. There is a rack comprising parallel bars 4 between which sheets, cards or the like a to be dipped can be inserted, and the rack includes means for clamping the bars together and for loosening them for separation. The means include supports 4" of symmetrical contour disposed in a common plane and four such supports are shown. Two supports 4 at each end of the rack are connected by a rod 5 which is threaded for engagement with a nut 5 carried by one of the outside bars of the rack. The bars are also provided with apertures '9 through which stay bolts may be inserted as desired. 8 is a table arranged in the frame and it is parallel with the plane passing through the axes of the supports 4' when the latter are supported in the stands 2. 9 are counterweights for the table and they are supported by wires or cables passing around guide pulleys it carried by the frail e and these wires or cables are connected with a downward projection H of the table. l2 indicates a clamp which by turning serves'to maintain the table 8 in any position to which it may have been adjusted. In order that the table shall move, when adjusted upward or downward parallel to itself, use is made of a parallel motion consisting of cables or wires l3 connected to the stand at M and passed over pulleys l6 on the stand and over pulleys I1 and under pulleys IS on the table and the ends are connected to the stand at E9. Four such cables are employed and they are arranged at the sides and ends of the machine. Tracing one of the motion cables as seen in the right-hand of Fig. 1, the cable I3 is attached to frame l by means of post l4 and turnbuckle 24 and passes from thence under pulley it which is attached to the frame or stand I, over pulley ll which is attached to table 8, under pulley l8 which is also fastened to table 8, and is fastened again to the frame or stand l by means of post Hi. This is shown in Figure 12 and Figure 12 illustrates the arrangement at each of the four sides of the table.

The mode of operation of the described machine may be explained as follows:

The table 8 is adjusted in respect to the axes of the supports i at substantially a distance equal to one-half the width of the cards, sheets or the like a, The cards, sheets or the like a, are inserted between the bars 4 so that they rest upon the top of the table and while they are in that position the bars are clamped together with the cards, or sheets a, between them. When the rack has been filled with cards or sheets a, it is transferred from the stands 2 to similar stands or supports on a dipping machine adapted to dip one of the edges of the cards into a coating solution, then the rack is turned over on the dipping machine and the operation repeated so that the opposite edges of the cards or sheets are coated for the same distance and evenly from each of the opposite edges of the cards. The coated cards may then, after drying, be removed from the rack.

It is evident that there is provided a convenient means for centering the cards in the rack in such a way that when it is turned over the cards project the same distance from each of its faces.

The construction and mode of operation of the modifications shown in Figs. 5 and 6 are as above described except as follows:

Continuous cross cables or wires 20 secured to the frame I are led over pulleys 2| on the frame and 22 on the table and thence up to the points of attachment 23 on the frame. Two of these wires are disposed at each side of the table, and none are required at the ends. In this construc tion and also in the construction of Figs. 1 and 2 turn-buckles 24 are provided and they serve as a means for adjusting the length of the cables or wires.

The modification shown in Figs. 9 to 11, in respect to construction and mode of operation is as above described except that the table 25 is carried on the claws 26 of a bracket 28 slidable on upright columns 21 carried by the frame and adapted to be raised and lowered by the hand screw 29. Interposed between the claws 26 and the table 25 are adjusting screws 30 by means of which the table may be leveled on the bracket The construction and mode of operation of the modifications shown in Figs. '7 to 8 are as above described except as follows:

When viewed in plan the bars 4 are curved so that the cards or sheets a interposed between them are also curved and when the racks are stood up in order to dry the sheets or cards the latter are in curved form as indicated in Fig. 8 and this curved form by stiffening the cards or. sheets tends to prevent them from falling into contact with each otherand they are thereby properly dried.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates that modifications may be made in details of construction and arrangement without departing from the spirit of the invention which is not limited in respect to such matters or otherwise than as the prior art and the appended claims may require.

In the foregoing description reference has been made to centering the cards in the rack in order to dip the opposite edges of a great number of them to the same depth and to. a straight line by inverting the rack in the dipping machine, however the cards may be arranged off center in the rack, and in that case and in the dipping machine, one of their edges will be coated to greater depth than the other, but each coating will terminate in a straight line and all the cards will be dipped alike.

I claim:

1. Racking mechanism for use in dipping sheets and the like comprising in combination stands disposed in a common plane, a rack provided with supports disposed in a common plane and including bars and clamping means therefor, and a table arranged parallel with said planes at a distance not greater than the distance between the edges of the sheet to be dipped.

2. Racking mechanism of the type specified comprising in combination, stands disposed in a common plane, a rack provided with supports disposed in a common plane and including bars and clamping means therefor, a table arranged parallel with said planes at a distance therefrom, and parallel motion mechanism connected to said table and to said stands so as to maintain parallelism between them.

3. Racking mechanism of the type specified comprising in combination a frame having an opening and provided with stands arranged in a common plane, a rack comprising parallel bars between which objects to be dipped can be inserted and means for clamping them together, said rack having supports adapted for detachable cooperation with said stands, a table movable in respect to the frame and parallel with the common plane, and parallel motion mechanism connected to said table and to said stands so as to maintain parallelism between them.

4. In a racking machine substantially as described and in combination therewith a rack having parallel curved bars whereby curved form is imparted to objects which are thereby stiifened and held apart, clamping means extending from one side of said rack to the other, and engaging and separating means co-operating with said clamping means to hold objects in or to disengage objects from the bars of said rack.

FREDERICK THOMAS. 

